The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-03-12
TRAINED NURSES.
A Profession Which Is Rapidly Receiving
Its Rightful Place In the World.

n PROCESSION w HIGH Is Iap1uiY Receiving
Its Rightful Place In the World.
Among the modern occupations
which have merged into professions
none have shown greater advance than
those engaged in by women. 1t is also
somewhat significant that vocations
affecting education and health have al
ways had peculiar attractions for many
of the gentler sex. In the medical pro-
fession women have encountered the
opposition of prejudice, but have over
come opposition and obstacles and
have added to the influence and charac-
ter of the profession.
Closely related to the medical pro-
fession and a most important coadjutor
of it, is that of the trained nurse. Il is
little more than generation since
Florence Nightingale touched the half
despised trade of the nurse and trans
formed it into an honored and honoring
profession, It used to be a by-word
among the laity that such-and-such a
one would not make q lawyer or ply
stefan or merchant, and therefore he
was to take holy orders and enter the
clerical profession. A similar skepti-
cism prevailed regarding nurses and
nursing. Dickens mercilessly described
the typical nurse of forty years ago
when he portrayed Mrs. Sairy Camp,
against whose entire race Florence
Nightingale led the revolt. 1t was main
tanned that anybody could be nurse,
and that ignorance and intoxicating
spirits were admirable hand-maidens at
the bedside.
The new movement in behalf of
higher standard for nurses, like all
other reform measures, met with dis
trust where actual antagonism did not
exist. But the tide set in the right
direction so powerfully that it soon
swept into its current the leaders in the
medical profession. Some cautious,
timid, conservative ones held back on
the ground that this new profession of
the nurse would become "a strong COM
petitOr of the practitioners Europe
has long since cast aside her prejudice.
Trained nurses are everywhere sought
by the best people in or out of the
profession. The schools for their pre-
paration are considered and classed as
high and honorable as medical
college, an art school, theological
seminary or normal institute
In this country the example set
some years since by Bellevue Hospital,
New York City, has had numerous seals
OF commentator and followers. San
Francisco has its training school for
nurses. Others have been established
and are successfully maintained in some
of the leading cities of the United States
The training school for nurses in Chi
cago stands deservedly high. The young
women who have been educated in it are
in nowise untitled for any serious duty of
life; but rather splendidly qualified and
equipped for professional services. The
respect entertained for those who have
chosen this as their profession is as gem
eral and genuine as it is growing and
abiding. The care taken in selecting
these having u genius or talent for nurs-
ing is of itself high compliment to all
who have been honored with graduation.
The confidence won for them since the
founding Of the school here is corollary
of the most universal acceptance. In
these days when SO much attention is
devoted to food end its preparation, to
ventilation, to sewage, to the care of
the sick according to scientific prin-
ciples, and all that these imply, it is en-
couraging indeed that the art of r-,rsing
is given its rightful place in the world.
Chicago Inter Ocean.